Air conditioning and heat pump systems for residential and commercial applications are known to employ modified automotive heat exchanger assemblies because of their high heat transfer efficiency, durability, and relative ease of manufacturability. A typical automotive heat exchanger assembly includes an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold, and a plurality of multi-port refrigerant tubes hydraulically connecting the inlet and outlet manifolds. The core of the heat exchanger assembly is defined by the plurality of refrigerant tubes and corrugated fins disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes for improved heat transfer efficiency and increased structural rigidity.
Certain heat exchanger applications and packaging considerations may require face plumbing of the heat exchanger assembly, in which the inlet and/or outlet connections and associated pipes are within the heat exchanger face dimensions. In other words, at least one of the inlet and/or outlet connections to the manifolds extends substantially perpendicular to the plane on which the core lies. This provides maximum use of the packaging space for heat transfer surface area. A known method to accomplish this to mill an opening equal to the desired diameter of the pipe connection in an area of the manifold that faces the same direction as the core. After the heat exchanger is assembled and brazed, an aluminum pipe is positioned over the opening such that the pipe extends perpendicular to the plane on which the core lies, fixtured, and welded in place. This process is labor intensive resulting in increases in time consumption and cost to manufacture such a heat exchanger assembly.
It is desirable to have a robust face plumbing adapter for a heat exchanger assembly that is simple and cost effective to manufacture, as well as easily attaches onto a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly, in which the face plumbing adapter enables face plumbing of the heat exchanger assembly.